Rescue Roundup: 4 Amazing Stories of Freedom from 2016

We had a victorious 2016 with over 1000 people rescued from slavery and violence. Thank you to all our donors, supporters and advocates for standing with us to protect the poor. To celebrate, we’re sharing our 2016 ‘rescue roundup’ –stories of hope to inspire you to fight for justice in the coming year!

1) Kolkata Teen Rescued from Sex Trafficking Just in Time

IJM assisted Kolkata police in a rescue operation at an apartment operating as a brothel. Your ongoing support brought a 16-year-old girl to safety on the first night she would have been abused. IJM helped the young woman move to an emergency shelter home. She immediately received support to work through her trauma and plans were set in motion for her long-term care. Read the full story >>

2) Five Convicted in Six Days for Sexually Assaulting Children

Katty* was only 17 when she was sexually assaulted by a man and his accomplice, who posed as taxi drivers before knocking her unconscious. The case was almost dropped because Katty couldn’t afford a lawyer.

Thankfully, Bolivian prosecutors referred her case to IJM in 2014 where she was offered free legal representation, counselling and support as she prepared to testify during the trial.

Because of your support, Katty’s abusers were sentenced to prison. Two years after the attack, she was finally safe. Read the full story >>

3) Two Massive Rescue Operations Free More Than 800 Men, Women and Children

We celebrated the rescue of more than 300 people, including 88 children, from bonded labour slavery in a Chennai brick kiln. This news came just a few months after our largest anti-slavery operation ever, where IJM worked with local authorities to rescue 564 children, women and men from a similar brick facility in the city. Because of supporters and advocates like you, these families are now living in freedom. Read the full story >>

4) Thousands of Thai Hill Tribe Members Granted Citizenship and Access to Protection from the Law

Worldwide, an estimated 12 million people hold no citizenship of any kind and live without the protection of the law. Approximately 20% of these people live in Thailand.

In October, we hosted our annual Vancouver Benefit Dinner and raised over $250,000 to bring justice to Hill Tribes members living without their rightful Thai citizenship. With your generosity, IJM helped over 2,700 hill tribe members gain legal standing in their country—more than three times our 2016 goal! See photos from the event >>

Your continued support made all this, and so much more, possible! We look forward to the stories of rescue and restoration that this year has in store.

Inspired? Champion justice for the poor in 2017.